Wait for widening of Nashik-Pune highway continues

Citizens commuting on the Nashik-Pune Highway in the stretch between Nashik Road and Sinnar, which is roughly 20 kms are concerned with the increasing delay in the road widening of the highwaySantosh Sonawane | TNN | May 03, 2016, 17:30 IST

NASHIK: Even as the work of widening the Nashik Pune highway has been taken up by the State Public Works Department (PWD), the wait for commuters is only getting longer with no visible work near the Sinnar Phata area of Nashik Road.

Citizens commuting on the Nashik-Pune Highway in the stretch between Nashik Road and Sinnar, which is roughly 20 kms are concerned with the increasing delay in the road widening of the highway. The road widening process was initiated way back in 2010-11 and it was expected that the entire road widening would be over before the Kumbh Mela.

The Nashik Road police said that the stretch of the highway that came under their jurisdiction was from Nashik Road to Chincholi Phata, a stretch of approximately 10 kms. Last year, this stretch of 10 kms witnessed 14 deaths last year.

Accidents continue to be an order of the day on the Sinnar Phata to Sinnar stretch. The highway being not more than 7.5 meters in some areas leaves immense scope of accident. Most of the road accidents recorded by the Nashik Road police of the city are on this patch.

Huge residential localities have come up along the highway on the East of Nashik Road. People residing in these areas have to use the busy highway to travel to their workplace, schools, college and even hospitals. It being a national highway connecting Nashik to Pune and other important places like Sinnar, Shirdi, Sangamner, Ahmednagar and various other places, the rush of vehicles is huge on this 7.5 meter wide road.

R S Somawanshi, executive engineer, PWD said that 15 percent of the work is complete as of now and their attempt will be to complete the work by April 2017. NHAI will be converting the highway into a 15-meter wide four lane highway with additional service roads through every village.

Over the past few days, the residents of Shinde Palse near Nashik Road are also complaining over the huge pits on the service road that have been developed, which is not only taking toll on the vehicles but also on the health of commuters due to the continuous smog of dust.

Sponsored Stories

Subscribe to our Newsletters

Morning Daily

Lighting Weekly

The draft allows district-level authorities, headed by the district magistrate, to seek exemption from public hearing while granting green clearance for sand mining in areas up to five hectares of land.

The court said it is the obligation of the government to protect its citizens who belong to middle class family and invested their hard earned money in buying flats but got cheated by builders and facing uncertainty.